ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the PM on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood has said that Pakistan’s exports touched the mark of over $25 billion during the last fiscal year and now the government has set an export target of $38.7 to $40 billion for the current financial year 2021-22.
Addressing a joint news conference along with Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Shahbaz Gill on Monday, Dawood said, “In June alone, our exports were $2.7 billion dollars, while in the last month these were $2.3 billion dollars — the highest amount of exports ever made in the month of July.”
Dawood said the export target for the previous year was $25.3 billion for goods and $6 billion for the services sector. He said the highest exports were recorded in the IT sector, which grew by 47 percent, which means that IT exports crossed the mark of two billion dollars. He said, “This year, we set a collective target of $38.7 billion to $40 billion, which include $31.2 billion of goods and $7.5 billion for services.”
The advisor said the government is focused on export-oriented policy; besides, pursuing a policy of Make in Pakistan to encourage local industry and make locally produced goods internationally compatible for exports.
Dawood said that Pakistan has also got an export order of 10,000 motorcycles, which was earlier standing at nil. He said Honda company has also shown interest to shift some of its products to Pakistan, which is an encouraging sign.
He said that Pakistan has also started manufacturing locally made mobile phone sets, which is resulting in reduction in import of mobile phones. He expressed the belief that exports of mobile phones will soon be started, which will also contribute in achieving the exports sector.
“I want that the export culture to be brought to the country,” said Dawood. He stressed that Pakistan should focus on other industries instead of depending entirely on textile exports in the next five years.
Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz Gill said that Prime Minister Imran Khan held a productive meeting with exporters during which it has been decided that he will interact with them once a month to listen to their problems and to address them.
Gill said that the federal government follows the policy of ‘made in Pakistan’. “The government has worked for the promotion of exports since Pakistan’s future relies upon it,” he said.
